


Reminder

by AssortedHeroes



Series: Heroes [4]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Bisexuality, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Memories, Minor Loki/Grandmaster, Multi, Non-Explicit Sex, Original Character(s), Past Character Death, Past Relationship(s), Reincarnation, Repressed Memories, Reunited and It Feels So Good, Sakaar (Marvel), Swearing, so much swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2018-05-24
Packaged: 2019-04-29 16:47:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14476962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AssortedHeroes/pseuds/AssortedHeroes
Summary: When Loki and Violet crash onto a cosmic junkyard called Sakaar, they find themselves needing to re-evaluate their friendship before they end up fighting that Hela bitch again. The Valkyrie chick who shows up doesn't help anything.Alternatively: Violet finds a link to someone she was once, a very long time ago. Loki can't decide if he's happy or irritated with it. Brunnhilde just wants her Hildr back. Thor's team-building skills are terrible.{Of A.}





	1. Chapter 1

>   
> Holy fuck. I think she might be the the one.  
> 

Well, this sucked.

Violet Gropius - pyromancer, Saika wielder, musician, and douchebag extraordinaire - was most certainly not pleased with crashing into a giant garbage pile after falling from space. It was Loki's fault, she decided. Keeping her on Asgard after that Convergence thing had lead her to stumble there. Sending off Odin to Earth so that a so-far-unknown goddess of death appeared when he died. Being so infuriatingly hot that she couldn't help being intrigued. Yep, it was totally Loki's fault, and nothing could convince the brunette otherwise.

Violet groaned loudly and rolled onto her back. Ow. Ow. Shit. Bad move. There was definitely something broken inside her, or maybe just bruised. Either way, it was a fuckton of pain, and she didn't like it at all. Her eyes fluttered open. Another bad idea. The sun was so bright in the sky that she felt like she was blind, which just made the situation even worse.

She lay still for a few moments, making various sounds of pain, before pulling it together and shoving herself to a sitting position. Just her luck, right when she did so, the mound of trash under her gave way and she slid downhill with a yelp. The ground was even less forgiving than the trash. Christ, when was the last time it'd rained here?!

There was a loud screech from somewhere and she turned her head just in time to see another humanoid figure tumbling from the sky; the ball of black and green splashed into a nearby body of water. Sweet! She could kick Loki's ass once he fished himself out of the pond. He broke the surface, gasping and coughing, and Violet started laughing.

"You keep quiet!" The woman looked up - when the fuck did he get so close?! - and oh, Loki was _definitely_ pissed. He looked like a wet cat, though, so it only made the whole thing funnier.

Violet hopped to her knees with a shit-eating grin. "You look like shit, dude. Sorry."

The prince did indeed look like shit. Even apart from being soaking wet, his hair looked overly tangled and there were tears all over the cloth parts of his armor. He set his hands on his hips and fumed down at Violet. "I am _not_ the one bleeding and covered in garbage. Get up. I saw a city to the west and we need to get away from this... _dump."_

"Mmmnahaha. Okay. Uh, pretty sure I can't get up." But at Loki's glare, she pushed aside her pain and stumbled to her feet. "I'm gonna need a new coat..." The fur on the sleeves was stained with some of her blood, but she was just being dramatic. It would be fine. Her jeans, on the other hand...those were fucked. Oh, that's where the blood was coming from - three giant gashes around her legs. Why didn't it hurt as much as her chest? Everything was weird, and nothing was making sense.

"Yes, yes, we'll get clothes once we have currency. Come _on,_ woman." Wow, impatient much? Violet could understand, though. His day hadn't gone very great. Thor had returned to Asgard after months fighting other battles and publicly revealed 'Odin' as Loki (mostly based on the fact that Odin basically hated humans, and Violet was just casually hanging around what looked like him), then dragged him back to Earth, where some sorcerer dude trapped him in an infinite loop of falling while Violet got a complimentary visit to a hair salon. _Then_ he'd tripped through a portal to Norway, watching the real Odin die, and got his ass kicked by a sister he hadn't known existed. Fun times.

"Are we gonna get jobs? That your master plan, Majesty?" She scoffed and shook her head. "We need to get back home, or to Asgard. And find your brother. And eat something, I dunno. I'm starved."

Loki might've been about to retort with his own brand of scathing sarcasm, but then there was one badass-looking spaceship touching down a few dozen meters away.

The door opened, a walkway seemed to just _appear_ out of nowhere, and Violet imagined the most majestic music she'd ever heard playing as a dark-skinned woman stalked out. Shit, she was pretty, even from here - white markings highlighted her eyes, and was that armor actual leather? There was that sense of familiarity, though, the feeling she got around all Asgardian people she happened to run into. "Well, fuck me sideways..."

The woman tapped her wrists together and holographic sigils appeared around them, while a pair of guns on the ship suddenly came to life. "Alright, you two. I can either shoot you, or just take you to the boss nice and easy. What'll it be?"

Loki was in much less awe than his companion, and so he spoke first. "You don't need to shoot. We are not your enemies." With a pointed look, he took hold of Violet's upper arm and started dragging her along. Asshole. "Can you tell us where we are?"

The stranger's eyes passed over Violet and there was a little flicker across her face, some form of recognition. "Planet's called Sakaar. Better mind your manners around the Grandmaster, or you might end up dead."

Yep, Violet thought. This sucks.


	2. Chapter 2

>   
>  There's something about her. I just can't describe it.  
> 

Something about this chick, thought Violet, is just perfect. 

The woman - Brunnhilde, as she called herself - had set her up on a box next to the pilot's seat inside the ship. Of course, a box didn't _sound_ that great, but Loki was stuck in what looked like a glass bubble below them, so Violet was perfectly happy. She shot a grin down to the man (who was lying nonchalantly with his hands beneath his head, the dick) and flipped the bird.

When she turned her attention back on Brunnhilde, her heart fluttered a little. What the fuck? Seriously? They'd just met and she was already smitten. Oh, well, she thought. At least she's being nice to me. 

"So, this is Sakaar, and you basically do whatever the boss says or you die." The warrior's tone was way too casual for those words. "I can try and get you a better spot. You don't look like someone who'd enjoy being a pleasure slave, so let me play up your strengths. Which would be..." 

Violet realized that Brunnhilde probably didn't show this much curtesy to most of her dumpster-diving prizes. She had hard eyes, and a curve of her mouth that said _I've done this all before._ She wasn't new to this at all. "Uh...well...I'm good at fighting. I can fly. I sing."

"The music would probably be your best bet. Grandmaster doesn't like watching girls fight." She sounded bitter about that. 

"He sounds...nice." 

Brunnhilde laughed. What a beautiful, sexy noise, holy shit. "He's a complete lunatic. But if you can stay on his good side, you should be fine here. I can help. He likes me a fair bit." 

"Is it because of your biceps? They're cool biceps. Most of the best biceps I know are on guys, but you're way up there." Violet's face turned so goddamn red she thought her hair might actually catch fire. (It'd happened before, but not from embarrassment. There was a pepper challenge and a camera involved.) "That was weird, I'm sorry." 

"Nah, don't be." The pilot was smiling. "They haven't made you run off in fear, so that's good, isn't it? But I think Grandmaster just likes my scrapping. I bring him some good toys." 

Violet cringed. What the fuck was that supposed to mean? Nothing good, probably. Yikes. "I guess I'll just hope he doesn't get turned on by my epic music skills..." 

Below them, Loki rolled his eyes and shouted something. 

"What? Can't hear you, dickhead!" Maybe yelling at a master of illusions wasn't the best idea, but Violet was _queen_ of dumbass decisions. 

Loki just pointed ahead, and Violet's eyes widened. 

The ship was coming up on a giant-ass tower that dwarfed pretty much everything else in this trash town, and there were honest-to-god metal faces being built all around what looked like a landing dock. Okay, Violet thought. They worship people. And put their faces on buildings. 

As they touched down more smoothly than any other ride Violet had been on, Brunnhilde sent a smirk and wink in her direction, and the pyro just about fainted. 

_Jesus fuck, this woman is perfect._


	3. Chapter 3

>   
>  It's a bitch convincing people to like you.  
> 

"My name is Grandmaster. I'm, uh, I'm kind of the leader of this place." 

"I am Loki, King of Asgard. Grandmaster, sir, my companion and I seem to have gotten ourselves lost here. It's very fortunate we've stumbled upon your lovely planet, but we have our obligations, and if at all possible we'd much like to leave without overstaying our welcome." 

Grandmaster nodded a few times, squinting. The heavyset woman next to him made a face that was almost like a smirk. "Nobody leaves Sakaar." 

Loki frowned. "I was speaking to the Grandmaster, miss." 

But Grandmaster wagged a finger. "She's right. This is a place for lost and, uh, unloved things. If you're here, there's a good reason. Mm, besides, I'm always looking for new friends. You two seem like fun, right? You're -- you're fun, aren't you?" 

This fucker wasn't working for Loki at all, clearly. But Violet Gropius wasn't Loki. She was a mental teenager, a child of the internet, and a whole quarter of a gaming channel that had a few million subscribers. She understood that when faced with some Jeff Goldblum impersonator with blue make-up and a stick used to melt people, there was only one way to go about it. 

"Yo, man." She raised two fingers and grinned, flashing a wink to a very confused and aggravated Loki. "We're here to get drunk, party hard, and have a lot of sex, so where should we go to chill?" Brunnhilde stifled a laugh from the man's other side. 

Grandmaster's eyes seemed to light up. That was creepy. Dear god. "What's your name, sweetheart?"

"...Viola. Princess Viola of Isshu." Not _technically_ a total lie. She had royal blood through her mother, descended from twin princes of somewhere called Unova. Isshu was just another name for it. Would she ever actually rule anything? Probably not. Unova didn't work like that anymore, nor did she have much interest in being a queen. It sounded boring as all hell. 

"Nice to meet you, Viola. Uh, are you two engaged then? Getting it on?" That grin was unnerving. 

Violet glanced at Loki, who shook his head. "Not at this point. I mean, I've definitely thought about it. Sexy bastard, just look at him! But if that were to happen, he'd need to be interested in me personally, because neither of our kingdoms need anything from each other. We're just...hangin' out." 

"Oh. Okay. What do you do, do you dance or something?" 

"I sing. Play music. I'm an entertainer back home." Again, not a real lie. She hadn't done anything like that in a few years, but music was still the best part of her life. "Do you want a demo? I can do a demo if you want. Not warmed up, but..." 

Loki raised his hand. "I've heard her sing. She really is quite good." Violet chuckled softly and blushed. That was a weirdly genuine compliment from Loki, Asgard's resident asshat. 

Brunnhilde leaned down to mutter something in Grandmaster's ear, and he nodded a few times, apparently satisfied with an answer like that. "I guess, you should, I dunno, go ahead and do something. Something quick, I don't have all day." 

After making a concentrated duck face, Violet just started to scat. Earth music had probably never made its way out to this guy, so why bother trying to pull any out for him? She heard applause and turned to Loki. He was smirking, fucking smirking and she _knew_ the whole sarcastic display was for her dumb choice. Oh, well. "That was absolutely marvelous, darling. Beautiful." 

Violet flipped the bird. 

"Is he always...all stuffy and formal? I-I don't know if I like that." Grandmaster grimaced. 

"I dunno. Royalty rules in Asgard are different from Isshu. But I think, between you and me?" Violet leaned in and lowered her voice, smirking. "I think, we get a little booze in him, he's gonna go crazy." 

Grandmaster clapped once and started to laugh. "That sounds fun. Okay, kids, you're in. Topaz can get you to your room." He made a gesture, and the heavyset woman stepped forward. 

"Hold on," said Loki. "We have to live together? All due respect, I don't think that's a good idea, considering the comments she's been making." 

"Nonsense. You're friends, right? And you're not gonna deny me, are you?" Grandmaster's voice had suddenly gone dark. Nope. Fuck that. 

As they were walked to their new home, Loki and Violet had an inaudible argument about how in the everloving _fuck_ she could be better at that than him.


	4. Chapter 4

>   
>  He said, "I'm sad," somehow without any words.  
> 

"Loki. Dude. You're killing me here." 

"Good. If you're dead, I don't have to deal with you any longer." 

"But there'll be drugs, and you know how I feel about drugs." 

"If you try hard enough, you'll be too intoxicated to care." 

"Then I'll wake up tomorrow with no clothes, a hangover, and a fuckton of regret." 

This argument had been going on for ten minutes already, and Violet suspected that the only reason she hadn't been brutally murdered by now was the pile of dresses Loki was going through. It was _Violet_ who was supposed to wear them, but since she wasn't the one who cared how she looked, she wasn't the one picking out the outfit. Loki held up one that looked like a bunch of gold sashes. "...try this one. If you don't look in place, Grandmaster will...probably try to melt you." 

Violet crossed her arms as the dress was thrown at her. "Why would that scare me? I'm...very heat-resistant." 

"Exactly. We don't want you getting into any altercations. It would severely damage our standing-" 

"-which _I_ put us into-" 

"-and I'd rather not become a slave when I'm doing so well. Get changed. I think that one works." 

Violet rolled her eyes and stripped right in front of him, more to see what he'd do than anything. She didn't miss that his eyes lingered over the shitload of scars criss-crossing her stomach, or maybe her (lack of a) chest. Two of the straps fastened into a clip on the back, and there weren't any sleeves, which meant she was fucked if someone hit the clip in public. "...I don't have the boobs for this one. It looks dumb." 

Loki just waved a hand, and a green light wafted over her chest. "Better? Good. Find some shoes and we'll go. We're already late..." 

"...well, then." She blinked, then shook her head. Honestly, what the fuck. It was, in fact, better, but still. 

The party hit full swing right when they walked in. Violet heard moans. _Someone_ was clearly getting busy.

Maybe she'd like the sound, but it brought to mind the idea of someone grabbing her, making her do things and...yeah, nope. Not thinking about those things.

Loki's grip on her hand was firm, but at least it didn't seem like he was trying to crush her. Considerate. He marched her to where Grandmaster was sitting with Topaz and his harem, and there were at least three slave girls touching him. Dear God.

"Hey, hey, hey, guys!" At least Grandmaster seemed happy. "You, uh, you both look great, Viola, do you wanna get started now? The band's ready whenever you are, do you remember the songs?" 

"...vaguely. Uh...can I have some time to...go over it again..?" Yeah, no. She just wanted to get shitfaced for a little while, maybe flirt with some people. Brunnhilde or Loki. Depending on what Loki ended up doing. Speaking of, Loki didn't seem to be super interested in what Grandmaster was doing. His eyes were on her hand, still wrapped with hers. He glanced at her and one of her brows rose.

The motion of Grandmaster's hand snapped her attention back to him. "Yeah, go on. Don't have too much fun just yet!" 

"Right." And she turned and stalked off through the crowd, and Loki was still next to her, and she frowned. "Are we...gonna be together all night?" That would be fine by her, since she liked Loki just fine, but it was a little weird.

"I'm just making sure no one snatches you up before you perform." He found a deserted couch to sit her down on, away from people having sex, and accepted a drink for each of them from some servant. "I don't want to see you debauched if it can be helped." 

Violet smirked a little and took a drink. Okay, well, it didn't taste _horrible,_ just a little off. "What if you're the one doing the debauching?" 

He stared for a minute. It looked like he was actually considering it, just for a sec. "...if that were to happen, it wouldn't be here. I'd much prefer to bed someone in the privacy of a bedroom." 

"Guess I know what my plan is." Alien booze must've been weird as shit and super strong, because Violet could already feel a telltale buzz in the base of her skull, and her liquor tolerance had gotten way better the last few years. "How many people have you slept with, anyway?" 

"That's not something I'd rather discuss..." 

"I've got...three, I think. First time was a dude in Japan named Rocchi...then I got shitfaced and had a three-way in Manhattan. Sharing a guy with another girl was weird, but-" 

"Violet." Loki was glaring. Fuck. "The alcohol is working on you already." 

She just rolled her eyes. "Come on, man. It doesn't do much for me, on account of I don't have any inhibitions when I'm sober. I just get goofier- haha, that guy's hat is stupid." 

"You're already having some fun, aren't you?" Brunnhilde came up from behind, squished Violet's cheeks, and tilted her head back. "Careful there, babe. You might make a mistake or two." 

Violet laughed. "Now I have two chaperones. I'll be okay! No sex until after the thing." 

Loki made an offended noise. "Or at all, possibly." 

"I can seduce you just fine, you ass. Especially with my new boobs." She pointed, and Loki just sighed. 

Brunnhilde flicked her nose to get her attention again. "Lackey there's not good to flirt with. He's a prude, can't you see?" She was just joking, probably. 

"Yeah, but he's a sexy mo-fo!"

"Still doesn't look like much fun..." The scrapper leapt over and sat between the pair, setting a hand on Violet's thigh. Squeeze. Oh, _f u c k_ that was hot. "How about after you're done, you spend the night with me? We can catch up." 

Oh, right. Brunnhilde thought Violet was a Valkyrie. Which, maybe, she was, considering the theory about her soul, but she honestly couldn't tell. She couldn't remember. But she nodded anyway. "Sounds like fun. I'll be there."

The other woman smiled, leaned in, and kissed her. She tasted like ash mixed with vodka, but somehow it was great. When she pulled back and left, Violet started to giggle, and shook Loki by the shoulder. "That was amazing. Okay. Did you see that? I love her, man, I fucking love her." 

"That's lovely, darling, but I don't think I enjoyed it nearly as much as you did." There was a vaguely terrifying glint in his eyes. Violet noticed that his eyes were, despite that, incredibly pretty. Like leaves in the snow. 

"Yeah? Then what're you gonna do about it?" She was smirking, because she knew _exactly_ what was done about it in movies. 

Loki sighed once again and shook his head. "Nothing. I know what you're getting at and I won't give you the satisfaction." 

She shrugged. "Fine, then." And before he could do anything, she grabbed him by the back of the neck and kissed him hard. _God,_ he tasted good. Like mint and leather. His mouth was cold when he opened it to her (why was he responding?!) but that just made her happier. There was a hand on her hip.

It was probably five minutes before Violet broke away. She leaned her forehead against his, and he smirked. "Now _that's_ more what I like..." 

"God, you're a dick..." They stayed quiet for a while, just holding each other. Then she tilted her head. "...Grandmaster talked to me alone once. Said this place is for...lost, unloved things..." 

"And..?" 

"...I want you to know that...maybe you're lost, but you've never been unloved. Thor loves you. Your mom loved you. And I've cared about you since we met, and I just...hope you get that." 

Loki started to smile and set a palm on her cheek. "Thank you, love."

When Topaz sought her out later, Violet was completely shitfaced, but she could still go up and sing just fine.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Psst, this one's got a little smut. Lady smut. As in, two girls having sex. Whoops. Plot summary at the very bottom if that's not your thing.

>   
>  I just stood there, searching for an answer.  
> 

Brunnhilde's room was nice. She had her own little kitchen and a bench. Since Loki's room was just a king-sized bed, a bathroom, and an oversized closet, Violet was understandably jealous. 

Of course, there wasn't much time for a tour or for her to express her envy, because she was currently pinned to the scrapper's little cot with the woman's lips attacking her neck. 

"Ah, shit," Violet muttered. The sashes of her dress were open and there was a hand between her legs, but she couldn't tell if it was hers or not. Alcohol and pleasure mixed into one hell of a drug. 

Brunnhilde smirked and ran a hand over her partner's stomach. "We just started. You already going off?"

Violet wriggled, shaking her head. "Nah...just been a while." Which it had. Her last fuck had been on Earth, where she hadn't been since right after the Chitauri thing. Also, she was shitfaced. 

The hand tugged her underwear to the side and two fingers slipped inside her. Definitely not her hand, then. Brunnhilde leaned up and kissed her lips, softly. "Then I shouldn't judge you too hard, hm?"

"Hey, I can make you scream, too. This isn't my first rodeo...fuck..." Violet tossed her head back when the fingers started moving. Shit, she was sensitive. It only took her a few moments to yell and fall apart.

"That's adorable, you know...so fast. Really has been a while, hasn't it..?" 

"A few years..." The Midgardian scooted back and sat up, leaning back against the wall. Her cheeks felt hot. "Gimme a sec, I'll be right with you to...yeah." She gave a light chuckle and cupped Brunnhilde's cheek. "You get laid often..? Sakaar seems like the place..."

Brunnhilde shrugged. "Usually I don't find anyone I'm interested in, but...it's not every day I run into an old friend." 

Violet grimaced, looking nervous. Shit. "About that...I...I'm not completely sure I'm who you mean. You feel familiar, you really do, and there've been theories about people like me...but I haven't found much proof, and I don't remember being...Hildr. I don't remember being a Valkyrie." 

"I don't want you to worry about that now. Okay? This is supposed to be fun..." The warrior slid a hand up and down her partner's thigh, almost absentmindedly. Well, at least she didn't seem to be upset. "We can talk about it when we're done. For now I just want you." And she kissed Violet again, but harder this time, all tongue and teeth, and Violet started to forget.

They switched places and Violet pulled off the woman's armor, taking the time to kiss and lick and squeeze around her chest. She kissed a line down, down, down to where her legs parted. She started nipping and sucking, lapping up Brunnhilde's wetness and moving a hand to rub. Her other hand, almost on its own, brushed down her own body so she could touch herself as she went, because damn, the Valkyrie's moans were sexy.

After a few minutes Brunnhilde wound her fingers into Violet's hair, and they both started to breathe faster, harder. Close, close, she was so close and then - the room filled with their shouts.

"...holy shit. You taste great..." Violet sat back and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Damn, that was new. Better than the girl in Manhattan for sure. 

Brunnhilde started to laugh again and pulled the other down by the wrist. Cuddle time, apparently. "So do you. Won't lie..." She seemed content to just lay there for a while, face buried into Violet's neck. 

But Violet just wasn't so sure. "...about earlier...the...memories..."

Brunnhilde stayed quiet for a while. "...for a long time, I was alone. As...as a Valkyrie, I mean. Everyone else was gone, and that's why I came here...and I've been trying to forget for years, but now you're here...and it hurts, but...I want to be near you." She peppered feather-light kisses down pale skin. "...I want you to remember. I want you to remember how we were, how much..." 

"How much we loved each other. I...get that..." And she _did_ feel love for the warrior. She just wasn't sure whether it was from a past life or from the alcohol. 

"...I want it to be like that again..." 

Violet couldn't think of how to say what was going through her head anymore. She drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Violet and Brunnhilde just had a conversation about the Valkyrie memories Violet should supposedly have, and why Brunnhilde feels so drawn to her despite having run away from Asgard.


	6. Chapter 6

>   
>  I just woke up in my underwear.  
> 

Loki didn't look to be in a gaming mood when Violet wandered back into their (his) room at three in the morning. He was sprawled out on the bed with no shirt - hot _damn_ \- with his eyes closed, and his hair looked more frazzled than usual. Violet moved to sit next to him and set a hand on his chest. "Hey."

He opened his eyes, but didn't say anything, just looked at her. Okay. 

"You, uh...been with Grandmaster?" 

No response. 

"...sorry. I bet he wasn't a good fuck." 

There was a little grunt. 

She sighed and laid back next to him, hands behind her head. "I was with someone, too. She was...great." 

Finally, Loki opened his mouth. "That scrapper. I don't like her very much." 

"You don't like her, or...you don't like me being with her?" 

"I don't like either of those options." 

Violet wrinkled her nose. "Well, since we aren't in a legal relationship...you can't do anything about it." 

"That doesn't mean I can't be upset." He turned onto his side and traced the patterns on the stomach of her dress. "I don't think she's...a good influence. And if you get attached, you may not want to leave..." 

"Oh, please...I haven't seen Earth in years. Why would I want to stay?" 

Loki's fingers bent, like he was trying to hold onto her. "I'm just considering our options...I don't want to leave without you. And I was thinking that...perhaps we could find some new planet to live on. Together. Away from...everything." 

Violet scoffed. "Don't forget about that sister of yours. Hela. She has to be taken care of, and I don't think Thor's up to the challenge right now."

"That buffoon is probably dead by now. If not, he can deal with Hela himself. We don't need to get involved." 

"I feel like I should..." 

"Why?" 

She rubbed over her cheek and sighed. "Maybe because she can get to Earth anytime she wants. Maybe I'm worried about all the people there I care about. Maybe I hate the fact that I don't have any way to contact them and tell them to run somewhere else." 

There was a long silence. 

"...then after she's gone. We can fight against her, and then when it's done, we run. Deal?" Loki moved onto his knees, hovering over the woman. Under other circumstances she'd probably pull him down, kiss him hard, but not here. Not now. 

"What if I don't want to...be with you? We're not _together._ We're just...together." 

"...you're absolutely insufferable." 

"You love it." Violet grinned and reached out to ruffle his hair. 

Emerald eyes rolled right before their owner did. "Good night, idiot."


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More smut! M/F this time.

>   
>  Don't threaten me with a good time.  
> 

Violet woke up to a blinding light. Well, that sure felt familiar. "Ugh...fucking curtains..." She turned over and rolled off the bed, groaning when she hit the ground. Once she managed to stand up, she just glared at the offending window. "Why, Loki, why..?" She tugged them shut, then flopped back to the mattress. 

The god next to her groaned and smacked gently at her arm. "Stop moving..." Then, he wrapped an arm over her and cuddled close. 

"Oh, Jesus, Lokes..." She rolled her eyes and grabbed his wrist, but he buried his face in her neck. There was something hard pressed against her back...fuck. 

"Don't...you're warm..." 

Violet huffed before heating her skin up, to the point where she heard him yelp and jerk back. "Jeez." 

_"Ouch."_ Loki sat up, then glared as Violet turned over with a grin. "I could have you executed for that." 

"Yeah, but you wouldn't. You know, I never really pegged you as a cuddler. It's kinda cute." Now she just wanted to piss him off. 

"Insufferable, like I said." 

"Just human." She leaned up against the headboard. "We need to be anywhere? I don't wanna. And I need a shower." 

Loki's brow rose, and she couldn't help a little whimper, because yeah, he was awful, but fuck if it wasn't sexy. "Just human? If I recall, you've called yourself worse things." 

"As long as we're stuck here, where people from Midgard are rare? I think we should think of me as human." Violet swung her legs off the bed and stretched once on her feet. "Seriously. I'm showering now. If you need the toilet, speak now, or forever hold your pee." 

Before she could get halfway to the bathroom door, there was a cold hand around her wrist. "One more joke like that and I might disown you, _Viola._ There's only a bath, anyway. We may not have time for you to...do what you must." He sounded so awkward that she almost felt sorry for him. It was adorable.

"...sweetie. Please. You can't get rid of me now." She gave a cheeky grin and used her free hand to caress his cheek. "Besides, I know you care~ No need to fake all this...fluff." 

"And how do you know whether I care or not?" That tone was cold and hard, but he was leaning into the warmth of her hand. 

"...you kept me around. There's no other reason for you to keep me on Asgard. Heimdall was lying when he said it'd cause a disturbance on Earth..." 

Loki muttered a curse. She'd gotten him there. "That...that's true, but irrelevant. Stop making bad puns."

"Don't worry. That's my sister's thing..." Then she leaned in, grinned, and kissed him, just for a second. "Now," she said softly, "are you still grabbing me because you're horny? Or is that just a morning thing?" 

His mouth was on hers a second later, hard and fast and desperate, and all she knew was that she felt smug as all hell. Her back crashed into the bed, his hand was between her legs. _Fuck_ yes.

She fully planned to let him do what he wanted at this stage, because he was the one who needed it, but he still leaned at her ear to ask, "May I?" 

"What do you think, dingus?" Violet grunted and just kissed him again. God, he was a dumbass...but an addictive dumbass. She slid her hand down his chest, pushing and groping, and he groaned into her mouth.

Then there were two fingers inside her, then three and four, and she was starting to forget how to think. Just like with Brunnhilde. It was an Aesir thing, probably. 

Maybe two minutes and she came with a shout. She opened her eyes to see Loki smirking (when had he pulled back?) and flashed a little grin. "Ass." 

"Whatever do you mean, pet?" That name sent shivers down Violet's spine, and _holy shit_ , she was suddenly ready for more. 

"You're just boosting your ego. Proving you can give pleasure. You shouldn't need to, though...you're fine no matter what." She smiled.

Instead of replying with words, the god tugged his pants down, lined himself up, and thrust home with a groan.

Around that time, Violet's mind shut down completely. It was only her and Loki, the contrasting nature of the hot and cold of their bodies, the place where they were connected, and his lips. Mostly his lips. 

She'd already gone off a few times by the time he did - damn godly endurance - so it was almost a surprise when he stopped moving, when he rolled over.

"...well." How else was she supposed to respond to an experience like that? God, sex with guys was weird. "...that was fun." 

"Oh, thank you. I didn't realize that I could be fun to be with." Aaaaand the sarcastic Loki was back. 

Violet rolled her eyes and got to her feet after a few minutes. "I'm gonna go...take that bath now." 

"Enjoy yourself." 

"I will." 

She did, of course, because hot baths were always great. When she came out again, the god was fully dressed and not looking well-loved at all. Hopefully? She didn't either. 

He turned. "We're free for the day. Nothing going on. I'm going down to entertain some guests with my tales of conquest, so you're free to join me if you like." 

"Maybe. Sounds boring, but not as much as being cooped up here without you." She ran a hand back through her hair, which was already starting to dry. "Think I should change my outfit? The dress might get old." 

"Nonsense. I asked, and I've been told the materials are incredibly durable. They did drop something by while you were bathing, though." He moved closer and held out a gold-and-green circlet. 

One of her brows rose, but Violet shrugged and put it on. "Look good?" She smirked and tossed her head. "Of course I do. Let's get going, then." 

As she led Loki out of their room, something in her stomach changed. Like the feeling one would get on a rollercoaster. Something or someone familiar fell from the sky somewhere in the distance, and she started to smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who fell out of the sky?
> 
> So, this is the last chapter I have pre-written. Mostly posting now because it's getting close to the point where the draft will be deleted, and I figured I might as well sort of "end the arc" as they say. Not that there are really story arcs here, but it's a good stopping point. Hooray.


	8. Chapter 8

>   
>  Well, here we are again.  
> 

Loki's play-writing skills might've been lacking, but as a straight-up storyteller, he wasn't so bad. Violet wasn't _so_ bored with him that she wanted to run. Besides, she'd never actually heard the full story of how he left Asgard. So, she was balanced on the back of the couch the god was sitting on, surrounded by overly-interested aliens. 

"My plan was going smoothly. My brother had been banished for reigniting the war. Then our father, Odin, fell into a deep slumber. I was the only one left on Asgard who was able to rule. Mother gave her permission, and then, I was the reigning king of Asgard, the Allfather." 

So his claim of being the rightful king wasn't too far off. He hadn't taken it by force, technically. It was given to him. But Violet noticed that there was a part of the story missing - something about his heritage. 

"I left for Jotunheim, and revealed to Laufey, their king, that I had been the one to allow his people into Asgard. He seemed very surprised to learn it was me. Loki, the shy little spare heir to the throne. I suppose he was in awe. He agreed to accompany me back to my kingdom with some of my warriors. Once I returned, I had a bit of an altercation with our Gatekeeper, Heimdall. He'd grown suspicious of me, but I reminded him that _I_ was his king and ordered him to keep the Bifrost closed no matter what. Unfortunately, some of Thor's friends left after him anyway. I was forced to send our Destroyer to Midgard to make sure they couldn't return."

The rest of the crowd was hanging onto every word. Damn, thought Violet. Must be a really weird story if they're so into it. She cracked her neck with a little grin, then glanced to the window. That tug in her gut was back. Someone she knew had come to Sakaar. She had an idea of who, but of course, she couldn't be completely sure unless she saw him. 

"After that I used the Casket of Ancient Winters - a very powerful Jotun relic - to freeze Heimdall solid for his betrayal, and welcomed the Frost Giants into Asgard." 

"Ooh, spooky-ass ice stuff." The aliens, and Loki, all gave her a look. "...carry on." 

Loki shook his head and went back to the story. "I led Laufey into the palace. Now, he intended to kill my father. He believed that was why I'd brought him to Asgard. And perhaps, I wanted to see how such a confrontation might happen, but of course I couldn't let a warrior such as Odin fall outside of battle. So as Laufey moved to strike, I leaped in his way and fought him back. I made sure he understood that his death? His death came by the son of Odin."

Violet actually found that sort of heartwarming - even if he wasn't going to admit it, Loki's motivation wasn't completely bad. He protected his old man. 

"Only moments after Laufey fell, Thor returned in all his _glory._ The Destroyer had failed. He told our mother all about how I was a monster who wanted to murder him. I couldn't have that, but there was little I could do about it, so instead of refuting his claims, I left for Heimdall's observatory. I turned the Bifrost toward Jotunheim and let out its full power. I was going to destroy the planet and end that race of _monsters_ once and for all...and then Thor attacked." 

There were tears in his eyes, but only Violet would know what they meant. She wasn't going to say anything, though. She'd heard enough regardless, she knew the rest of the story, and she really wanted to figure out if the newcomer to Sakaar was who she thought it was. So, she tapped Loki twice on the shoulder and hopped off the couch.

She could sense the person somewhere in the palace, so whoever it was, they'd be having an audience with Grandmaster around now. She heard a high-pitched, hysterical scream, and then a few minutes later, Brunnhilde walked past her in the opposite direction and slapped her ass with a little laugh. Violet rolled her eyes and kept on. 

About two floors down from the starting point, she saw Grandmaster leading someone down a hall. Someone in a floating chair. Someone with long blond hair, and huge shoulders, and a look of confused anger on his face. 

Violet smiled. 

"...and this way, we've got some, uh, some of my workers sleep in there. I mean, they don't always do much sleeping, but- hey, Viola!" Grandmaster smiled and waved at the woman who'd caught up. 

The mighty Thor (of course it was him) turned his head, and his eyes widened. "You- you're- you're here?!" 

"Yeah, hi." She set her hands on the god's shoulders, rubbing them a little. The poor guy was probably lost and confused as all hell. "I lived. Everything's cool. You look like shit. This place is kinda great." 

"Is it? I don't think it's- you look good, actually-" 

Grandmaster waved a hand in front of both of their faces. "Hey. Uh, hate to spoil what looks like a happy reunion, but we have things to do, places to see?" There was an angry gleam in his eye that Violet _really_ didn't like. "We good? Okay. Let's go, kids!"

Up they went. Thankfully, Violet and Thor were able to whisper without getting caught. "So you're friends with him?" 

"Yeah, sorta. We don't talk much, I just sing for him." 

"I don't think I'm getting any choice, why don't you have one of these things in your neck?" 

Ah, the Obedience Disk. A remotely operated taser. "I'm not a slave, probably. Girl who brought me in liked me." 

Thor pouted. Aw, cute. "She didn't like me. Attacked me." 

That was basically how their conversation went up until they were back in the room where Loki had his storytelling session. Thor didn't notice him. Loki didn't notice them. It was like a mutual ignorance. 

"Now, I cannot _believe_ I didn't say it before, but my name is Grandmaster. I preside over a little harlequinade called the Contest of Champions." He kept talking, then started messing around with some space keyboard... 

...and then Thor noticed his brother. "Loki..? Loki! Loki, Loki, over here!" 

Loki glanced up and the smile on his face vanished. Oh, but that expression was _priceless._ He said something to his little entourage and then stalked over, shushing Thor. 

"What?!" 

"You're alive." 

"Of course I'm alive!" 

"What are you doing here?!" 

"I'm stuck in this- this stupid _chair,_ where's your chair?" 

"I didn't get a chair." 

Thor glanced between Loki and Violet, who were standing fairly close together now. Uh-oh. "Hang on, you're here together? Oh, you're wearing his colors, oh _God,_ tell me you're not-" 

"He crashed into a lake. It was hilarious." The woman grinned. Loki just smacked at her and muttered something about _covered in garbage._ "They didn't put us in chairs." 

"Well...help me, get me out!" 

"Can't." 

"Get me out!" 

Loki made a weird little slashing moment with his hand. "We've made friends with this man, he's called the Grandmaster." 

Thor cringed. "He's crazy!" 

"Yes, but we've gained his favor. Bifrost spat us out weeks ago." 

"Has it already been weeks?" Violet frowned. Didn't feel like weeks. 

"Yes, weeks-" 

"Well I just got here!" 

"What are we whispering about?" All three of them yelped, because Grandmaster was a _sneaky_ bastard. But then they didn't say anything else, so he just kept talking. "Y'know, time works real different around these part. Any other world I'd be, like, uh, millions of years old. But here on Sakaar..." 

He gave Loki an I-want-you-in-my-room-later look. 

Loki frowned back at him, but it wasn't a normal frown. More a frown you give when you don't want to offend someone, but you can't help feeling disgusted. 

Violet let out a snort. 

"...in any case, you two know this, he calls himself _Lord_ of Thunder?" 

Thor growled. _"God_ of Thunder." Then, more quietly - "Tell him." 

Loki just gave a little grin. "I've never met this man in my life-" 

"-he's my brother-" 

"-adopted." Loki shrugged helplessly. 

Violet raised her hand. "I'm a friend from work, that's why I know him." 

"Is he any kind of fighter? I mean, you'd know, right, if you work with him?" 

"You take this thing out of my neck and I'll show you-" 

"Ooh, look at that, he's threat- trying to threaten me!" Grandmaster giggled and straightened his collar. "Hey, Sparkles! Here's the deal. You wanna get back to Ass-place, Ass-berg-" 

"As- **gard**!" 

Grandmaster held up one finger, like an angry kindergarten teacher. "Any contender who defeats my champion...their freedom they shall win." 

"Fine!" Thor huffed. "Just point me in the direction of whoever's ass I have to kick!" 

"And that's what I call...a contender~. Direction would be, would be _that_ way, Lord." He handed some wand-looking thing to Violet. "Do me a favor, take him to the gladiator's room? In the basement, uh, not hard to find." 

Violet blinked, shook her head, then shrugged and nodded. "Whatever. Let's go, _Sparkles."_ Oh, she was gonna have a lot of fun with that name. 

She punched Loki in the shoulder and waved the wand. Time to go down to the dungeons.


	9. Chapter 9

>   
>  It would be funny if it weren't so sad.  
> 

"So...you and Loki." 

"Oh, wow, what a great way to start off a conversation. I guess years of learning how to king weren't lost on you." 

Right now, Violet and Thor were more wandering the palace basement than anything. She'd figured out how to turn the chair off, so he was able to walk. It was a good thing she trusted him - otherwise, he'd be stuck. The trust might not've been incredibly well-founded, though, since her elation at seeing him was turning into apathetic fury real quick. 

Thor pouted as a protest. "I don't remember you being this bitter." 

"It's been weeks for me, remember?" The woman shrugged. "You also chose a shitty way of opening up." 

"Sorry. Is it a sensitive topic?" 

She wrinkled her nose. "I think it's more that judgment in your tone." 

"So you don't mind...talking about your..." 

"Sex life?" She set her hands on her hips, turning to actually stare at Thor. "Listen, hun, I don't have any issue talking about it if it comes up in conversation. I don't think it really matters who I'm sleeping with. What I _do_ mind is the fact that you sound all...icky about it. Don't like the idea of us being together?" 

"Well, I don't really have a problem with it, I just-" 

"-don't think it's a good choice for me." 

The silence told her she was right on the money. 

She sighed. "It's only actually happened once. Kissed a couple times, but the actual fuck happened...once. And I think he was trying to forget a less-than-enjoyable experience he'd just come out of." No plans to tell him that it had been _that morning._

Thor nodded and looked down. "Hurt you at all?" 

"He's not _that_ bad, dude." 

"I just wanna make sure. Because...you're my friend. And I worry. Why are you even... _rooming_ with him in the first place?" His face was a mix of frustration, confusion, and pity. Wow. 

Violet almost wanted to laugh. "Because Grandmaster said. He's the boss, remember?"

Thor set a heavy hand on her shoulder. "But do you want to?" 

"...I don't mind it. He's one of two actual friends I have here. I care about him, y'know? Even though he's the god of being a douche, I care." 

"Spending four years with someone tends to endear them to you." He laughed, and then it was quiet for a while. "...sorry for dragging you into another family squabble. We have a lot of them." 

The woman nodded. "I noticed. It's okay, though, don't worry about it." 

"Why not? Regardless of...everything else, you're not of Asgard like us." 

"That's the thing..." At his confused grunt, she shrugged. "The other friend I have...she's from Asgard, too, and...okay, remember how when Loki first showed up, we discussed the possibility of me being a reincarnated Valkyrie? I think she's living proof that it's true, that I am. Look, Hela knew me. I knew _her._ You didn't." 

"Yeah, you...sort of panicked." 

"What if the Valkyries fought her once? What if it was...really terrible, and that's why I freaked?"

He frowned thoughtfully and nodded. "I guess it makes sense...what makes you so sure this girl's right, though? She could be lying." 

"It's the fact that I recognized her, and I could tell that _she_ recognized _me._ That's weird, right? I think it's weird. Two Aesir, that neither you or your brother have ever encountered before, actually _know_ me." 

"It is weird..." 

"Then there was the conversation I had with your dad..." Until that point, she'd actually almost forgotten about it. It wasn't like they'd talked before. Odin didn't even _like_ humans. 

Thor shuffled uncomfortably. "You realize that I...couldn't hear you two. Right?" 

"I don't know how to explain it." 

"Then show me." He took her hands in his own. "Your soul's powerful. You can connect with people in a way that I- I've never seen anyone else do it. Try to show me that memory." 

She thought it over, then sighed, thumbs brushing over his knuckles. "This is gonna be awkward as fuck..." 

She closed her eyes and linked their souls. 

#### Norway/The Past

Wind blows across the clifftop. The sun is back behind the three men and singular woman who stand there. The eldest male waves a hand and commands the woman to step forward, alone. Instead, the younger three step back. 

Why does he want to talk to her? A human, one who hasn't even the excuse of romance to be there? 

He speaks again. She sighs and does as ordered, kneeling on the ground next to the old king. His rock is as a throne. 

"Girl. Do you remember?" 

She doesn't quite know what he means and shakes her head. 

"Do you have an idea?" 

"I..." She looks at her hands. "...sort of. We've talked about it, but...there's no proof." 

"Those theories they have about you are right. You are exactly what they say." He reaches down, much faster than she imagined he could, and his hand clamps around her wrist. It burns, burns even through the thick fur coat, even though heat doesn't hurt her. "She'll know you. It won't be easy to do it again, but you must." 

The woman can only swallow, her breath coming in heavy waves. It feels as if something is pressing on her chest. "I...I met...her..?" 

Is that pity in his eyes? "In an age long past. If you can remember, do it. You won't be able to fight her unless you do so." 

He releases her and she clutches at her arm, eyes burning with unshed tears she fears him seeing. 

"...I'm sorry, my dear girl. For everything." 

The wind howls, and she howls with it, because the edges of the memory are cracking, and other memories are resurfacing - flashes of corpses in silver armor, white feathers falling from the air, a burning pain in her chest. 

Everything shatters. 

#### Sakaar/The Present

Violet's eyes fluttered. She was against something hard and sturdy, but it was warm. She wasn't laying down, so she wasn't in a bed... 

"Hey, hey, come back." 

Oh, yeah. Thor. 

"...I'm up. Ah, shit..." She shoved off of the male and reeled backward, pressing a palm to her forehead. 

"Are you okay? Please tell me you're okay." He actually sounded frantic. 

"I...I'm...yeah, I'm fine..." She took deep breaths, in and out, until her head stopped with the fucking pounding. "All good. You see it?" 

"...yeah. I did. It was...weird." 

"All of this is weird. But...that's kinda like proof. I think it is, at least...what else would he be talking about?" 

His hand was on her shoulder again. "...you know what it means if you're right, don't you?" 

Violet ran a hand through her hair, then stopped and put it on top of Thor's. A pang went through her chest. "That means we...might have another ally to fight Hela with..." 

"Exactly." The grin he bore now was absolutely _ecstatic._ "The more people the better, right? She's strong, but-"

"You wanna overwhelm her with numbers...Asgard's got an army, though. I have a feeling they won't like her walking in to take over. If they're dead already, we're probably...absolutely fucked." 

Thor stepped in front of her, both hands on her shoulders now. "That doesn't mean anything. We'll have me, Loki, you, maybe even a Valkyrie in her prime, and we'll be ready for a fight this time. I _know_ that we can do this." 

God, he sounded so hopeful and sincere. What would he look like when she told him that Loki didn't want to fight Hela? That he might even refuse to leave? She didn't really want to know. So, she tried for a hopeful smile and nodded. "Let's do some avenging, then."

It went quiet for a long time, but it was a comfortable silence. Violet almost forgot she was supposed to be taking him to prison. 

"...you really do look good, you know. Fancy clothes suit you." 

"Thanks, man...there's a reason I don't dress up often, though." She spotted a dungeon-looking door, finally. 

"Are you gonna tell me what it is?" 

She chuckled. "Sorry, pal..." Right in front of the door now. She grabbed him by the shoulders, gently, and leaned back against a button on the wall. The door opened. "...I gotta have some secrets or your new roommates will hear all the gossip." 

"What do you-" Thor yelped as he was hurled through the door, and Violet really did start to laugh. 

"See you!"


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last smut is in here somewhere. Only ever planned to have two scenes...our favorite Valkyrie kind of screwed that up. But enjoy, if my cringe is enjoyable at all. After that we get to see a badass fight and some Thor fails in this extra-long (for me) chapter! Yay!

>   
>  Why can't we be friends?  
> 

"I'm not entirely sure you understand the gravity of the situation!" 

"Better than you." 

"You've known Thor for five years, I've known him for centuries!" 

"That doesn't mean you know him better."

"He's going to ruin _everything!"_

Violet laid an arm across her eyes and groaned. Loki was pacing back and forth in a fury, screaming about his idiot brother, and all she wanted? Some peace and quiet. "I don't see why it's such a big deal to you. You can stay." 

"He'll want me to fight. That's what you talked about, isn't it?!" His eyes were boring into the woman. She knew it. 

"We talked about lots of things. That was part of it, but-" 

Loki slammed a fist onto the bed next to Violet. "I _refuse_ to help that oaf with anything after all the work I put in to get us here." 

Violet just sat up, eyes narrowed. "Excuse me, who was the one who got us on Grandmaster's good side?" 

"That isn't the point!"

"Then tell me what the point is." 

The deadly calm in her voice must've tipped Loki off that right now? Right now, she was not to be messed with. He held his breath, then sighed. "I'm just..." His hand found its way to hers. "I'm worried that he'll destroy the life we've been building. I would have _no_ qualms about staying here forever with you." 

Violet blinked slowly. Was he serious? "...he wants us to help fight Hela. Both of us. And I told him about the Aesir girl I was hanging out with, and he thinks she'd be helpful too...I agree with that, but...I don't know. I don't know if any of it'll work." 

"You're drawn to that woman because you were like her once. Like Thor." 

"Oh, so you buy that?" A brow rose. 

Loki gave a faint smile, or maybe it was a smirk. Hard to tell with that one. "The more time I spend with you the more I start to believe it. Why else would you wear Asgardian clothing so well? Or settle into that life so quickly? Yes, you chafe under tradition, but that isn't at all a deal-breaker, as they say." 

Violet snickered. 

"And that isn't even mentioning my suspicions of what Odin told you...whatever was said had something to do with the Valkyrie, didn't it?" 

He was starting to make her feel better. No. That wasn't okay. "Fuck's sake, I don't even know myself. Makes sense, but I can't tell. He was all cryptic about it." 

"But the memory is fresh in your mind, which means you've been thinking it over." He was definitely smirking now. _Asshole._

"I...sorta shared it...with Thor. We did a soul thing. Not sure how accurate it actually was. It kinda...fell apart there at the end." Which was a shitty way of describing it, but she couldn't think of anything else.

Loki nodded a few times. "It's a powerful soul you've got. Perhaps you could use that to take care of Hela." 

"I don't think we're on the same wavelength. Like, at all." 

"Neither were we when we first met, but...here we are..." He was getting closer. Leaning in. Really, Loki? This was what turned him on late in the day? 

Violet scoffed, then cupped his cheek with her free hand. "I know what you're doing, Loki..."

"And what's that, _Viola_..?" 

"Distracting yourself...don't worry, I'm happy to assist..."

His kiss was soft, gentle even. Their hands twined together and she rolled on top of him, knees at his waist, lips and hips just moving back and forth in a dance that did its job. Both of them stopped thinking about the outside, about Hela, about the problems Thor's presence might cause.

When they were done she lay on top of him, both their eyes closed, both smiling, and they stayed like that for a long time.

 

 

Violet woke up to Brunnhilde pulling her off Loki and snapping in her face.

"Up, up. Both of you. Important night with the boss." 

Violet groaned and smacked at the other woman, trying to sit up. "Why..? What's the..?" 

"The gladiators." That was Loki. He'd totally been awake the whole time. Perfect. Just perfect.

Brunnhilde shot him a glare, but she nodded. "Grandmaster wants you both there. And you and me need to talk, Hil- Viola."

"...right." Violet took a glance to her roommate, then got to her feet. Ow. Thighs were a little sore. "I'll...see you tonight, Lokes." 

The two woman left and started wandering the halls, silent. Violet wanted to say _something,_ maybe just to break that silence, but Brunnhilde was radiating a shitload of hostility and it didn't feel like a good idea to mess with that. Eventually, the scrapper pulled her into a side room and shut the door, then backed her against the opposite wall. "What in the hell's going on with Asgard?!"

"I-I don't-" 

"First you show up with that shit excuse for a king, and then the _Son of Odin_ falls from the sky, and you all know each other!" 

Violet's eyes got wider and she swallowed. "I don't know how to explain. If you'd just-" 

"Stop." The frustration in Brunnhilde's face didn't go away, but when she took a deep breath, she seemed a little calmer. "There's something happening. I _know_ there is. Just...tell me what you can. I can't take not knowing, not when all three of you've managed to drop into the place I've been hiding for centuries." 

"...there's this woman. We...the three of us went to Midgard to find Odin, who died right after we found him, and then this woman just appeared. Called herself Hela." She started shaking, and noticed Brunnhilde was shaking, too. "Loki tried to use the Bifrost to get us back to Asgard, but she got in and threw us all out. She..." Her voice broke. "She said she knew me. That she wanted to kill me again. She singled me out, and I don't...I don't know what's gonna happen. Odin told me I had to remember, but I can't remember, and I don't know what I'm gonna do to-" 

The scrapper set a finger on Violet's lips and shushed her. "Hey, hey...it's gonna be alright. Whatever happens, I'll be right there with you, okay?" 

"Tell me what happened back then. When we were both part of the Valkyrie. I'm getting the feeling that...whatever was going on...Hela stabbed me through the heart. Killed me." 

"...I can't. I want you to know, but I can't put myself back in that moment. Spent too long trying to forget." Her voice seemed like it was breaking, too. 

Violet nodded, patting her shoulder. "Then...it's fine. We'll figure it out." 

"...yeah. You remember anything?" 

"Bits and pieces. Flashes. I think I just have to spend more time around you." 

Brunnhilde grinned. "You'll be back to normal in no time, Hildr." 

When they left, Violet was still shaken despite feeling happy for the warrior, but she just wasn't sure whether she _wanted_ to be Hildr.

 

 

The Grandmaster's press box was nice. Well, it wasn't a literal press box, because this wasn't a sports stadium, it was an arena, and there wasn't any press to be had, but...the name fit. A personal, enclosed space, with a great view of the fighting far below. Slaves served drinks and food. It wasn't too hot or cold. Nobody pushed or shoved for a seat. 

So far the battles had been small-term deals between nobodies, which meant they were just the opening acts. Thor would be out fighting the _champion_ soon. 

Violet had an inkling of who the _champion_ was. She'd sensed it one day while wandering - a soul she remembered from Earth, a soul filled with rage. It'd be weird to see Bruce Banner so far from home, but it was definitely possible for him to have left in the four years she'd been gone, and really, who else could be such a brute but the Hulk? 

Loki hadn't shown yet. That was scary. He'd mentioned that he had a bet going against Thor, so why wasn't he there? Sure, he was probably on his way, but maybe Violet was a little nervous. She liked him. She cared about him. She didn't want to see him melted. 

A hologram of Grandmaster flared to life in the center of the arena and started talking. Something about applause and gruesome deaths, but Violet wasn't really listening. She stood from the middle of the long-ass couch up in the box and paced back and forth in front of the window until Loki (finally) swaggered on in. He accepted a drink from one girl, tapped another one on the ass, and started smiling up until Violet stabbed him in the thigh. He buckled with a look of shock and she started to laugh.

"What in the _hell_ was that?!" There was literal murder in his eyes. Maybe that was a mistake. 

She squatted down to his level as the blade slid back into her knee. "You're being a dumbass, showing so late. Living very dangerously. You need to realize that you need to not. Plus, I got stabbed by a Chitauri like that in New York. Haven't had a better chance for payback since then." 

He huffed, rubbing a hand over the wound. "You're insufferable. I hate it. I hate you." But she knew he didn't mean it. He dragged her back up to her feet. "I haven't been here because I was doing something that should help us get away. Is that a problem for you?" 

"No, I just...worry. You're not careful, you'll get melted." 

Grandmaster's hologram disappeared, but his voice kept going, and now, Violet was paying attention. She started smiling and ran back to the window when 'Lord of Thunder' was announced, because it was definitely Thor, and hot _damn,_ did he look good with short hair. There was paint on his face and he looked a little nervous, but all in all, none the worse for wear. 

And then it was time for the _champion_ to come out. Grandmaster was really hyping him up, the crowd was going wild. 

The word 'incredible' trailed off, and the Hulk burst into the arena. 

"I have to get off this planet," muttered Loki from behind her.

Violet just laughed at him madly. 

She kept close to the window to watch. Grandmaster came in, sat Loki down on the long-ass couch that really didn't need to be so long. The woman didn't care, didn't pay any attention to them, because why would she? There was a match between two of her strongest teammates going down right in front of her.

Except, they weren't fighting. Hulk was reveling in the screams of the crowd, and Thor was laughing. Okay. He yelled something about friends from work, then pointed up at their box. "Look! Loki's up there! And Violet!" 

Violet waved all enthusiastic, even though she probably wouldn't be recognized. New York was four years ago and she looked pretty different. She glanced behind her to see Loki coughing uncomfortably. 

Then Thor got quiet, as did the arena, and the fight actually started from Hulk's end. Yep, he was pissed.

Thor wasn't having any of that, though. He reached out for Hulk's hand in a down moment, which must've been something to try and calm the big guy down. 

It didn't work. 

Hulk grabbed the god by the leg and smashed him into the ground over, and over, and Loki got to his feet. "YES! THAT'S HOW IT FEELS!" 

"Shit, man," muttered Violet. Too loud. 

That was the point when Thor decided to get serious and kick ass. Back and forth the fighters went, until Hulk had the other guy pinned. Punch, punch, punch. 

Then, the hairs on Violet's arms stood up, and lightning rippled through Thor. Hulk was thrown back across the arena. Thor got to his feet, eyes glowing, and ran at the big guy. 

The woman grinned. "Yeah, c'mon dude, you got this..." 

But then, Thor started shaking. The light vanished and he collapsed. 

Violet frowned and turned her head just a little. Oh, of course - colossal asshole Grandmaster had a master wand or something that he'd used to sabotage the god of thunder. What a _nice_ guy. She shook her head, then walked to the back of the room, because honestly? There wasn't a point in staying any longer. Thor was done. 

 

 

The next morning, Violet decided to visit the Hulk. 

Some native Sakaarans were nice enough to show her the way to the Champion's Suite, so she was there within a few minutes after she woke up. 

Inside the room, some pretty servant girls were messing with an unconscious Thor, but she didn't pay them any mind. Instead, she glanced around the room, grimacing at the clash of red and white on the walls until a low grunt caught her attention. 

Oh, okay. The Hulk in a hot tub. 

"...hey, dude." She waved and smiled gently. "You remember me?" 

Hulk's face wasn't really visible through the steam, but there was a little grin or smirk. Hopefully. "Purple girl." 

"Yeah, that's me. Purple." Okay, she was recognized. That was good. 

"Look for Thor?" 

She shook her head. "I'm glad he's in here, 'cause it might make things easier, but nah. I'm looking for you." 

Hulk grunted again. "No Banner. Not coming out." 

"Well...I didn't say I wanted to talk to Banner, did I?" 

"Don't try." 

She stuck her hands up in mock defense. "Hey, man. You don't need to threaten me. _You're_ the guy I wanna talk to, okay?" 

Sadly, there wasn't any time for a heart-to-heart, because Thor groaned and sat up. The servant girls ran. 

"Hey there, hot stuff. Welcome back to the land of the living." Violet couldn't stop staring at the muscles, because of course Thor was shirtless. All she got was a glare as he looked for his armor. "...okay, don't greet me back then." 

"I've had a bad couple of days and you know it." 

"Whatever." She sighed and pointed to a corner to be helpful. "You look good. Short hair suits you."

Thor rolled his eyes and dressed. "I did _not_ want the haircut. Creepy old man did it before I got sent out there. What room is this?" 

Hulk chose that moment to make a dramatic entrance, as did his junk. Violet spun before he was out of the water, but Thor wasn't so lucky. "Oh, god- That's- That's in my brain now. Don't you laugh." 

Violet stopped snickering and shrugged. "Hey, man. It's not my fault your reaction to a giant green dick-" 

"-if you finish that sentence, I'll zap you-" 

"-is fucking _hilarious."_ There was that cheeky grin of hers. Thor glared and raised a hand, and the woman stiffened before collapsing. "...ow. Worth it. Anyway, so dude, before you woke up I was gonna ask- yeah, it's all easier now that you're up. Big guy! How'd you get here?" 

Hulk grunted _yet again_ and pointed out through his window. "Quinjet." 

Violet crawled over and tugged at the wall to pull herself up, making an effort to specifically _not_ look at the big green ass. "...oh. Okay. That's actually kind of great." A quinjet was, indeed, just sitting on the ground outside, surrounded by garbage. "Think it still works?" 

"Only one way to find out." Thor took her by the arms and hoisted her onto his shoulders. Strong-ass motherfucker. "We're gonna use that to leave this hell, mark my words." 

There was a deep laugh from the direction of Hulk's bed - when'd he walk over there? - and Violet turned. "No leaving. Only fighting." 

Thor huffed. "Oh, like there's any point in fighting when they've got one of these," he pointed to his obedience disk, "-on their neck. How many of your opponents were, when you won? Yeah, you're just a big...big cheater!" 

"Woah, buddy. Don't piss him off again." 

"I'm not doing anything, Violet." 

The woman leaned over and cupped his cheeks, pouting at him upside-down. "You're gonna make him mad. Last night you found out what that felt like. Keep it cool, okay?" 

"Yeah, fine." Gently, Thor pushed her upright and pointed to Hulk. "Okay, big guy. You're gonna help us get out of here." 

"Hulk stay." 

"No, no, we can't stay. _You_ can't stay. We have to get back to Earth - do you wanna get back to Earth?" 

"Earth hate Hulk." 

"What? No! Earth _loves_ Hulk! You're one of the Avengers, savior of the world!" 

"Thor lying. You're Banner's friend." 

"Banner's friend? I'm not- Oh, look at me, I'm into numbers and science and stuff!" Thor poked at the air and laughed a little, then pointed again. "No, I prefer you." 

Violet tapped his head and slid back to the ground. Thank fuck her legs were working now. "Hulk, dude, we have to do Ragnarok." 

"Ragnarok?" 

Thor nodded. "The prophesied destruction of my home world. God, you're gonna love Asgard. It's all big and shiny-" 

"Thor go." 

"...what?" 

"Go." Hulk pointed to the door. 

"...you know what? Fine." Thor started to walk. "Y'know, this room looks terrible. The red, the white, just pick a color!" 

"Thor go!" 

"I'm going!" 

"Smash you!" 

"I won that fight!" 

"Baby." 

"What?" 

"Baby arms!" Hulk threw a giant pineapple. 

"Goodbye!" But once Thor got to the doorway, it flashed red and electrocuted him. 

Hulk just laughed. "Thor home." 

Violet grinned. "Yeah. Thor home."


End file.
